I am taking a college course and learning all about bilingual education. I was wondering if anyone has had experience with their EL's feeling looked down upon by other students? If so what steps do you take to improve this and how often do you think it happens?

I have experienced EL students being looked down upon by other students. I am a Spanish teacher for students pre-k through 8th grade so I have students discuss and study a lot of different cultures. We also discuss all of the benefits of speaking more than one language, as a lot of them hear, "Why do you have to learn Spanish?" at home. We have also talked about stereotypes. I believe that for some students these discussions have lead to more tolerance/acceptance for people who are different from them. Unfortunately, I continue to see self consciousness in ELL students, who do not participate in class and do not socialize with other students.

I also note that some EL students who have more difficulties and are shyer are younger than other students and that seems to hold them back as well. They are usually born September to December. (Our schools run from September to June.)

Our schools have a volunteer program that matches the students, one on one, for ESL training and reading. They are taken out of the classroom for half an hour about three or four times a week. We can really see the progress by February. The students get a chance to talk one on one with an adult or teenager and often the problems are expressed by the students. The volunteer can then tell the teachers who create a situation where the problem can be dealt with in a loving and constructive way. We have a zero tolerance policy on bullying and the children are taught about this from kindergarten on. In addition, the adults treat one another with respect and caring that you can hear and see and that makes a lot of difference in the tone and feel of the school.

I have been working with ELL students for 3 years now nad I have noticed that when they are in the higher grades 3rd, 4th, 5th, and so on they encounter critizism from the general population. This is largely due to their present inability to speak English. This does not enable them to make contact with the general population. One way that I have tried to prohibit ill treatment frrom other students is to allow for interactions. I ask the other teachers from higher grades if they can spare a reader to come in and read to my students. I asl make sure that my students have a part in most of the school's yearly programs (plays, concerts, etc.). This clearly allows my ELL's to take part outside the classroom. They deserve to prove that they are just as outgoing and smart as everyone else. I am such a mother hen that I spend most of my lunch time with them in the cafeteria. I introduce them to kids I have taught and to students that I know. I ask them to let me know if they see anything that the students need. You must find avenues to take and ensure that your EL's are interacting with the general population. Humans are too quick to judge that which they do not understand.

Ana, that's so awesome the great lengths you go to help your students in your school. Unfortunately there aren't people who do this in every school. I work in a high school and see kids singled out constantly and many times it may be an ELL. I think that if our schools really pushed kindness to others it would help. Faculty around the school that are trying to teach students to befriend people different that yourself is mostly limited to the history departments. It seems that we have gotten to the point of telling out students that as long as they follow the rules and do their work that's all they have to do. Well, what about the kid who gets singled out by the culture our students create. I don't think we should stand by and just watch this. Teaching our students the importance of accepting and helping others would go a lot farther than making ELL's comfortable. It would change the students attitudes all throughout our schools.